


Public Space Transports

by L_The_other_consulting_detective



Series: Moved from Tumblr: Voltron [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anxiety, Cute, Fluff, Galra kids can smell Keith, Kids, M/M, Shiro and Keith get on a space subway, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 20:24:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16839769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L_The_other_consulting_detective/pseuds/L_The_other_consulting_detective
Summary: From the ask "Public Transit in Space"Keith and Shiro find a lot of things are constants and they blend in well, until a tiny purple fluff clings to Keith, crying and drawing attention.





	Public Space Transports

**Author's Note:**

> Asked on tumblr by http://imhereformysciencefriends.tumblr.com/

There is a short list of things pinned to the fridge in the paladins personal rec room on the Atlas. The list is things they want to ask Slav about, because they’re so consistent in space that hey, they’re probably also consistent in other realities.

On the list so far are: 

_Toothpaste in mint flavor?_

_Cats_

_Shitty pop songs, very catchy_

_Malls_

_Toilet paper in public restrooms always being too thing_

Today, Keith really hopes he isn’t going to have to make his first contribution to that list but well, it’s looking doubtful. An alien with two smaller aliens hanging from her furry arms and wearing an unmistakable look of motherly exhaustion shuffles her bags next to them with arms three and four and the motion makes her elbow Keith slightly. She doesn’t notice.

Keith groans quietly and turns to commiserate with Shiro who-

Well he looks a mixture of overwhelmingly awed and just generally overwhelmed and Keith reminds himself that Shiro hasn’t been in with the crowds much out in space. He stars blatantly at the weird musicians who seem to be making music (another one of those damn pop songs) with the ooze from their bodies and little metal tongs. 

The terminal is crowded and Keith hopes the hypertube (glorified subway is what it is but he’s not about to say that to Shiro) gets there soon. There are a lot of bodies pressing around them and Keith is glad that they both choose to wear basic black on black that allowed them to blend in with the traditional humanoid inhabitants of the planet. As long as no one realized they were both a pair of eyes and nostrils short they’d be able to stay inconspicuous as long as needed.

Shiro’s bright eyes land on him finally and he grins, but Keith can see the way his chest expands a little faster than usual as he works to breath. They really didn’t think this through, but it’s still the fastest route to the meeting point and their supposed to be taking a break damnit.

Keith closes the very slight distance between them, taking Shiro’s flesh hand, the Altean prosthetic kept close and tight to his body to keep it hidden. Shiro doesn’t try to speak, there’s little point with the myriad of languages bouncing around them in what is essentially an echo chamber and that’s without the musicians getting louder by the second. 

An Unilu pauses near them, ducking their head and getting a better look at them both before grinning widely and Keith wants to groan again. They’ve been spotted. The Unilu doesn’t do anything for a long moment though and Keith’s about to ask them what the issue is when Shiro wordlessly holds out a handful of currency. The Unilu winks at them, pockets the money and mouths “big fan” and melts back into the crowd. 

Shiro looks like he _enjoyed_ the experience and Keith prays they don’t run into any other swindlers while they’re here. He doesn’t know what might happen if Shiro ever meets a group of professional cons, he’ll probably go along with it just because he’s so in love with the idea of normal problems just, happening.

Nothing serious of course, but everyday things, everyday tricksters and noise and stresses make him smile now. Keith would be happy to indulge him in more of them if he wasn’t tensed to make sure no one realized that the captain of the Atlas and the Leader of Voltron were among them. Also maybe if underneath the wild joy Shiro wasn’t maybe a little bit anxious.

The hypertube finally pulls in with much less noise than any Earth subway and the smooth glide of the double decked pure white machine is actually pretty cool to see. The entire side of the thing rolls up, leaving it fully exposed as various species board, many moving to the second floor by jumping straight up. 

Shiro pulls him on board and the wall scrolls back into place behind them. The car is silent, passengers stepping into the neat slots in the walls that seal them into a private compartment that reminds Keith of a cryotube a little too much. In fact many of the riders appear to be asleep. A few opt not to get in, standing at the small section of handlebars designed for just that purpose. Keith moves toward them and is glad that Shiro seems to feel the same.

“I didn’t expect this.”

Keith raises an eyebrow and Shiro shrugs, “The platform was…well not normal, but familiar. This is pretty different.”

“Yeah, but it makes sense still. Who knows, maybe Earth will have the same thing soon.”

Shiro smiles at that and grips a handle close enough that Keith can lean into him as they travel. It’s not meant to be a long trip, but it’s long enough for Shiro to enjoy the feeling fully.

The hypertube makes two more stops in quick succession as they pass through the city center and the car fills fast, until the pods are full. The aliens around them mostly keep to themselves but one or two smile, or something like it, at them.

Shiro always gives a little nod and a smile and Keith manages a tiny wave. Eventually their good luck runs out though and a tiny little one who looks to be at least half galra attaches themselves to Keith’s leg.

She’s crying and Keith bends to lift her in his arms, Shiro immediately crowding close so he can steady Keith with the Altean arm around his waist.

“What is it kit?” Keith’s voice is soft and Shiro stares at him, it’s easy to forget sometimes how he loves children. The little girls rubs at her eyes and her little mouth twists, she makes a sound that’s more Galran than anything but Shiro knows distress when he hears it, so does Keith.

“Okay, hey it’s okay.” She pushes at Shiro’s face over Keith’s shoulder looking a little afraid and her nostrils flare and it clicks. He’s making her afraid, Keith smells like a Galra but Shiro certainly doesn’t. 

“Hey kit, hey,” Keith gets her attention, “Do you know about Voltron?” She stops pushing at Shiro and her eyes get big as she nods, the passengers who were already paying attention to them focus in a little more. Keith doesn’t want to do this, but at least they’re not on the platform and he needs her to stop trying to get away from Shiro if they’re going to help. 

“I’m Keith, the black paladin and the guy whose nose your squishin’ is Shiro, you know who Shiro is?” Keith’s sure she does, Shiro the Hero was synonymous with Voltron, even before Atlas.

She immediately stops trying to shove him away and instead pushes her little face so she’s almost nose to nose with Shiro who fights the urge to straighten up and put distance between them. She examines him carefully and then nods. 

Keith looks at him and Shiro smiles a little helplessly, those near enough to hear the exchange are only barely held off by the child in Keith’s arms, if they lose her they’re going to be bombarded.

A tall figure pushes through the throng, voice gone high with worry, “Zirian! Kit, do you see my kit?”

Shiro does straighten then, seeing the Galran woman at the edge of the standing passengers, she looks like she’s only just woken up and he puts together how her daughter slipped away. 

“Here!” He calls, she zeroes in on him and the crowd lets her through as Shiro calls, “Give her the room.”

She makes it to them, taking in the sight of Keith holding her daughter gently and sighs in relief. The kit sees her and squirms reaching for her mother, who scoops her up easily. holding her close.

“She ran out of the pod as it was sealing. I’ve no idea how she got over here. Thank you so much.” She dips her head and Zirian decides it’s time to speak up, pointing to Shiro and loudly proclaiming, “Shiro!”

The Galran’s eyes widen, awe and a little more fear than Keith would like but then her gaze settles on him as well and, “The Black Paladin?”

Keith nods, sighing, “She probably smelled me. I’m glad that she’s safe with you.” He reaches up and pokes the little ones nose, “No more running off okay?”

The kit nods but her mother still stares at them uncertainly. They don’t get the chance to say much else to her though since the second she takes a small step back to grab a handle the crowd come in, asking questions and for autographs and pictures or weirder things like pieces of their hair. After fielding the requests ( “I’m sorry I can’t marry your daughter, I’ve never met her.” “I don’t think spitting on you is a good idea, let me just, uh, sign something.”) for the rest of the ride being able to step into the relative peace of their platform, at the edge of the city and much emptier than the last one, is a blessing.

Zirian waves at them before she’s carried away in the hypertube. Keith lets out a breath and Shiro laughs a little beside him, eyes still a little too bright and breathing too even to be normal.

“You good?”

“Yeah, I’m alright. You did great Keith.”

At the look Keith gives him Shiro wraps his arms around the other man, pressing an easy kiss to his forehead, “With the fans, but also with the little girl.”

Keith shrugs but his hands settle on Shiro’s hips just the same, “I like kits, they’re always so sweet. It was always weird to think about how they grow up into fierce people like my mom.”

“And like you?”

Keith headbutts him lightly and Shiro lets him go, taking his hand and laughing. They might have to add this too the fridge list but Keith has a sudden thought about another item that should go up there.

“Hey Shiro, do you think…maybe we could ask Slav if we’re together in other realities?”

Shiro’s smile is so soft Keith’s heart hurts in the comfortable (and that’s certainly a difference) lighting of the train platform of an alien planet. 


End file.
